ABU DHABI – World No. 1 and reigning US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain believes that 2022 US Open girls’ singles champion Alex Eala of the Philippines already has what it takes to compete on the WTA Tour. 

“Well, I know her. I don’t talk to her personally. But yes, I know her results, what she has done this year. And I remember when I was watching her results in the juniors, I thought she has to play in the WTA,” Alcaraz told ABS-CBN News during the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC) press conference on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

“She has the level and in 2023, I’m sure she’s gonna do great results,” added the 19-year-old Alcaraz, who made history in New York in September for becoming the youngest World No. 1 on the ATP Tour when he won his first grand slam title.

Eala, 17, also made history during the same fortnight in Flushing Meadows for being the first Filipino to win a junior singles grand slam championship. 

She also has two junior girls’ doubles slam titles from the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 Roland Garros.

The two-time ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour singles winner (2021 W15 Manacor and 2022 W25 Chiang Rai) has notched one win on the WTA Tour over Paula Ormaechea of Argentina in the first round of the 2021 Winners Open in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

This year, she was awarded a main draw wild card by the Miami Open, where she went out in the first round against Madison Brengle of the United States.

The Filipino ace then became a qualifying wild card recipient of the Madrid Open, where she lost in the opening round of qualifiers versus Anna Bondar of Hungary.

Incidentally, the Miami Open and Madrid Open were conquered by Alcaraz this year.

The Spanish teen sensation, who also won the Rio Open and Barcelona Open this season, made his return on court in this weekend’s MWTC after recovering from the abdominal injury that ended his season at the Paris Masters in November.

Despite suffering two defeats in his Abu Dhabi exhibition debut against World No. 3 Casper Ruud of Norway and World No. 8 Andrey Rublev of Russia, Alcaraz remains upbeat and optimistic.

“I’m happy to be back on court, playing after the injury. I’m really, really happy,” stated Alcaraz following his 1-6, 4-6 loss to Ruud on Sunday at the International Tennis Centre of Zayed Sports City.